Eagle Butte GED Program
The Eagle Butte GED program opened its doors in April 2004 and is still going strong. The program was initiated as part of Eagle Butte's TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families) Program. TANF clients are expected to complete their GED and then be placed at a work site, however, there was not a GED program around Eagle Butte that allowed students to work 20 hours per week toward their GED. Subsequently, TANF participants had to be placed at work sites without opportunity of obtaining a GED.
The program's success is the result of the cooperative effort of many entities and individuals. Mitch Enright, Head of Eagle Butte's TANF Program proposed and oversees the program. The Department of Social Services contracted with Aberdeen Area Career Planning Center to provide the GED program materials and an instructor. Generosity has been a key factor enabling us to operate with in our budget. Currently, the South Dakota Department of Social Services is looking at this program as a pilot for the TANF program in other areas where GED is not available.
The program is currently housed at the Cheyenne River College Center which is a satellite office for Oglala Lakota College (OLC). This has been an excellent opportunity for the GED students to be in a learning environment and to talk to OLC staff and students about their academic futures. Students are encouraged to enroll at OLC upon completion of their GED.
Recently the Eagle Butte GED Program had an excellent opportunity to partner with the new CRST GED Program. This has been an exciting time of change and growth within the AEL program. A big thank you needs to be given to Sharon Vogel and Charlie Ann Frost, at the CRST Housing Authority, and the CRST GED tutors for making this possible. Community response to this partnership has been positive with an influx of new motivated students. Expectations are high that there will be several graduates over the next few months.
Our enrollment has increased monthly, from 4 students at the onset, to a more recent enrollment of 20-25 students. Approximately one-third of these attend 20 hours per week. Thus far, we have had several graduates, and many more students who are only one GED section test away from completion. This is really an amazing achievement as most of these students start at a fifth or sixth grade academic level. Most students intend to seek employment or go on to college when they complete their GED.
Related Links:
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe http://www.sioux.org/
Oglala Lakota College http://www.olc.edu/
TANF (Temporary Aid to Needy Families)
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